In our increasingly connected world, the titans of technology are continuously searching for new and interesting ways to bridge the gap between humans and the gadgets we use. While we might be quite a ways off from neural implants and other science fiction-like methods of interacting with our devices, we are quickly mastering the most obvious tool for the job: Our voice.

The rapid ascent of Smart Home technology has further increased our ability to command technology by giving us new ways to interact with everyday tasks and situations. It only makes sense then that voice control would be integrated into our homes, freeing us of the constraints physical remotes can sometimes impose. With Insteon's smart home ecosystem, this integration is easier than ever, and adding the ability to interact with many of Insteon's devices using Amazon's Alexa creates a new layer of ease-of-access.

Setting Up Alexa With Insteon

By following a few quick steps, Amazon Alexa-enabled devices can be integrated into the Insteon Hub using the Amazon Echo App. Note that before you start, you will need your Insteon Account username and password.

• 1. Launch the Alexa app and tap on the drawer button in the upper left corner.
• 2. Tap "Smart Home" from the displayed options.
• 3. Tap "Get More Smart Home Skills."
• 4. Select Insteon from the list of Smart Home Skills.
• 5. Input your Insteon Account username and password then Sign In.
• 6. You will get a confirmation screen stating that Alexa has been linked with Insteon.
• 7. After closing the confirmation screen, you will be prompted to discover new devices.
• 8. Tap "Discover Devices"
• 9. After a few moments, you will see a list of all devices connected to your Insteon Hub.

If you add more Insteon devices to your hub after setting up Alexa, you can simply say "Alexa, discover my devices," and your new add-ons will be quickly found.

Setting Up Insteon Scenes

Once Alexa is connected to your Insteon hub, you will be able to control all Alexa enabled devices by giving out simple voice commands. You can further customize your voice control by configuring Insteon Scenes which allow for finer control over what individual devices do when given a voice command. Scenes allow you to control groups of devices with a single command, giving you the ability to create batch actions like starting up certain devices upon arriving home or turning them all off when you leave. Although Alexa Groups performs a similar function it currently lacks the ability to simultaneously perform actions across multiple devices or tweak an individual device's function. Insteon Scenes allow you to turn on/off multiple add-ons at once, as well as give you the power to, for example, have a lamp turn on at 25% lighting while you have the ceiling light power on at 75%.

Creating a scene can be done using the Insteon Hub app from either your iOS or Android device.

iOS Scene Setup

• 1. Log into the Insteon for Hub on your iOS device.
• 2. Tap the Menu button at the upper right of the Hub app.
• 3. Tap "Create a Scene" from the list.
• 4. Configure the Add Scene page to your wants.
• 5. Make sure to select the devices you want in the scene and configure their interactions.
• 6. Select the level that you want the devices to turn ON to when the scene is activated.
• 7. Once complete tap "Done," and allow the Hub a few moments to configure the changes.

Android Scene Setup

• 1. Log in to the Insteon for Hub on your Android device.
• 2. Tap on the "Scene" button at the bottom of the Hub app.
• 3. Tap the "+" button in the upper right hand corner of the app.
• 4. Configure the New Scene page to your wants.
• 5. Make sure to select the devices you want in the scene and configure their interactions.
• 6. Select the level that you want the devices to turn ON to when the scene is activated.
• 7. Once complete tap, "Done," and allow the Hub a few moments to configure the changes.

Supported Devices

Lastly, it's important to make sure that Alexa is compatible with the Insteon devices you wish to configure. To that end, here are the current add-ons Amazon's Alexa can communicate with:

Follow this link to get the Amazon Echo, Insteon Hub, and Insteon Wireless Devices Kit!